PANJIM: The Association of Components of Comunidades has threatened to challenge the State government’s decision to appoint a sub-committee under Mauvin Godinho for regularisation of illegal houses on Comunidade lands.
The government had appointed Godinho as chairman of sub-committee for regularisation of illegal houses and was asked to submit his formulated proposal to the convenor of the Commission before end of the Assembly Session.
In a letter dashed to Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Association of Components of Comunidades Secretary Andre Antonio Pereira has drawn the attention of the High Court judgement of 2013.
“The State government is under solemn contractual obligation to demolish and dismantle all the illegal houses and structures or building raised on land belonging to the Comunidades of Goa and restore land to its original condition at the cost of the State,” the letter states.
Further, the letter says, whatever reasons given in the Assembly is a false and misleading while appointing Godinho as the chairman of the committee.
“We shall be constrained to challenge the very legality and constitution of committee,” the letter says.
Pereira further says that the order of the High Court dated 5/2/13 does not direct the State to appoint a Comunidade Commission.
“In the order the State government stands directed to appoint a committee to hear the grievances only of the concerned petitioners and on the points raised in the said petition no 406/2009, that includes the non-taking step by the government for demolition of illegal constructions and encroachments in the given comunidade land and in terms of relief claimed by them thereof,” the letter states.
The comunidades have accused politicians of allowing illegalities on Comunidade land to secure vote banks.
“Politicians have encouraged capture of reserved cattle grazing ground of the Comunidades based on forged documentation made by illegal and fraudulent application of Rules under Goa Land Revenue Code,” the letter says adding, “Such encroached land stands reserved for the common pasture or for grazing ground of cattle of the local villagers and which cannot be alienated by any Communidade in favour of any person for any purpose and consideration,” the letter states.
